


Alone Together

by OverlyObsessed223



Series: umbrella academy one-shots where people give a damn about klaus [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, No Incest, Season/Series 01, i hate this fandom for making me tag that, idk what else to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26006245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OverlyObsessed223/pseuds/OverlyObsessed223
Summary: “About… me?” Klaus raises both eyebrows, wondering if Five’s sanity is as intact as he says it is. “Dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”Five looks down at the table, taking a moment to think before sighing.“I know I’ve only been back for a couple of weeks, but I’ve noticed shit, okay? I know the signs of loneliness all too well, and the fact that you’re constantly talking to yourself is a huge red flag.”Oh.Well, there it is.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Ben Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Klaus Hargreeves
Series: umbrella academy one-shots where people give a damn about klaus [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1890268
Comments: 46
Kudos: 1617
Collections: The umbrella academy





	Alone Together

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, sorry I disappeared for a while lol. But I'm back and obsessed with the Umbrella Academy so here we are, 3k words later. Enjoy!

“Would it kill you to take two hours out of your day to go see a movie?”

Klaus glances over at his deceased brother from where he’s laying on the couch, and takes notice of the fact that Ben is seeming a bit antsy this morning. Klaus is fully aware that there’s limited entertainment for ghosts, and that, as much as Ben loves reading, he’s probably getting tired of doing the same old thing over and over again. Plus, being Klaus’ full time babysitter is not easy in the slightest, even if he’s been sober for two weeks now. 

“I mean… I guess we could go see a movie today,” Klaus shrugs, sliding off of the couch and onto his feet before stumbling into the kitchen. Like usual, he’s wearing nothing but his underwear, having found that sleeping in clothes is more uncomfortable than it’s worth. He casually moves around the kitchen, going about the motions to make himself a pot of coffee.

Maybe Diego would make him some waffles, if he hasn’t already left the Academy yet. 

“Is that one movie with Chris Evans out yet? You know, the one where he’s wearing those cute sweaters?” Klaus continues their conversation as Ben takes a seat at the kitchen table. “God, he looks so dreamy in that movie—almost dreamier than him as Captain America.”

“No, _Knives Out_ doesn’t come out until November,” Ben shakes his head. Klaus sighs in disappointment—that would have been a hell of a way to spend the day. “We’ll have to think of something else to go see. I’m guessing horror is out of the question for you?”

“Yeah, no horror, sorry, broski,” Klaus watches the coffee drip into the pot as it brews. “Also, no Nick Cage movies—those always end up being bad.”

“I wholeheartedly disagree with you,” Ben scoffs, rolling his eyes at the Nicolas Cage slander. 

“Well, whatever, as long as it’s not horror or Nick Cage, pick whatever you want,” Klaus says as he picks up the now full coffee pot and pours the liquid into a mug that has the words ‘it’s a girl!’ in pink cursive on it—most likely Allison’s. “Consider it a reward for all of the craziness we’ve been through the last few days.”

It had been pure luck, Klaus thinks, that the apocalypse had been averted. They have no idea what caused it in the first place, not even Five, but sometimes Klaus catches their little older brother looking strangely at Vanya, their sister who Luther had locked up, only for Diego, Klaus, and Allison to free her the first chance they got. The building had shook as the door had opened, releasing her, but steadied as soon as Vanya had collapsed into Allison’s arms. 

Klaus doesn’t think it’s worth thinking too hard about, but he figures it must be different for Five, who’s life was completely altered by the apocalypse. The lack of closure is probably hard on the little guy, but Klaus hopes Five is able to pull through with most of his sanity intact. 

“Let’s just go to the theater and see what’s on when we get there?” Ben suggests, leaning back in his chair as Klaus pours a bit of coffee into the mug in front of his ghost brother. 

“Sounds good to me, brother dear,” Klaus grins, turning to put the coffee pot down on the counter.

“What sounds good?” Klaus jumps out of his skin at Five’s voice, almost sloshing burning hot coffee onto his hands as he spins around. Five is standing at the doorway of the kitchen, fully dressed to leave the house, an eyebrow raised as he glances around the room.

“Jesus _fuck!”_ Klaus gasps in surprise, putting his free hand to his chest. “You little gremlin!"

“Who are you talking to?” Five ignores the name calling, craning his neck to look around Klaus as if there’s someone directly behind him.

“What? Well I’m talking to you now, aren’t I?” Klaus gestures around at the empty room. Ben lets out an exasperated puff of air, and while Klaus does have the decency to feel guilty about that, he’s not exactly keen to the idea of Five viewing Klaus in the same way that the rest of their siblings do. He’s mentioned Ben enough to the others to know that bringing up their dead brother’s name never goes over well. “You going somewhere?”

Five doesn’t answer right away, something passing over his face that Klaus can’t identify. “Yes, I’m going to get coffee. _Good_ coffee,” Five clarifies as Klaus points towards the pot on the counter.

“Hm. Well, alright, drive safe,” Klaus uses his GOODBYE hand to wave him away. He turns around, expecting Five to have zapped off by now—Five isn’t known for sticking around his siblings for longer than he has to, and Klaus really can’t blame him for that. Hell, even Klaus needs space from his family sometimes, because even though he loves them, they can be hard to be around. 

“I’m still not one hundred percent sure Five should be driving,” Ben frowns, gazing over at their smallest brother. 

“I mean, isn’t he like, sixty?” Klaus says, keeping his voice lower than usual, because he doesn’t know if Five is still around. “I’m not gonna be the one to stand in his way—Diego or Luther can deal with that.”

“Can they?” Ben raises an eyebrow, and Klaus has just about had it with the amount of questions Ben is asking at 7AM. 

“Klaus.”

Klaus looks up to see Five still standing in the doorway, fidgeting, and the sight is so weird that Klaus is starting to worry that something is wrong.

“Would you—” Five closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, seeming to struggle to say whatever he’s trying to say. “Would you like to come with me?”

Klaus almost drops his mug.

“Are you gonna take me somewhere and kill me?” Klaus can’t help but ask, because the situation here is so foreign that Klaus can’t imagine any other reason for Five asking anyone, especially Klaus, to join him to get coffee. Usually, Five prefers to go alone, snapping at anyone who asks to go with him. 

“What? No, I—” Five shakes his arms out, his fists balled up tightly, before putting them in his pockets. “I am... inviting you to come and have a cup of coffee... with me. Would you like to come?”

And really, if Klaus is being honest, he doesn’t feel up to the idea of taking Five up on his invitation, just because this situation is so strange that there has to be something going on. Not only that, but Five in the mornings, before he’s had his coffee, is not… how does he put it… _very fun_. Actually, he has a tendency to be a major asshole, even more than he is normally, and Klaus is trying to have a good day today. 

But Klaus can recognize that no matter what is going on with his brother, it’s obviously not easy for him to be extending such an invitation, and that coupled with Ben’s expectant look is what convinces Klaus to give in and say yes. 

“I mean, if you seriously want me to come, then yeah,” Five gives a curt nod, “let me go get dressed.”

After running upstairs and pulling on a tank top, ripped skinny jeans, and his military jacket, Klaus meets Five downstairs and follows him out to the car—Five at least has the decency to walk with him instead of jumping. Five moves to get into the driver's seat, which Klaus makes no move to stop despite Ben’s mutters about how they’re “all going to die”, and Klaus gets into the backseat, opening the door and allowing Ben to slide in first. 

“Why are you in the backseat?” Five gives him a funny look. 

“Habit, I guess,” Klaus shrugs, and really, he’s being truthful, but he’s so used to riding around in cabs that he never thinks to move up front. 

Besides, he doesn’t want Ben to be lonely—maybe it’s a stupid thought, but it’s there nonetheless. 

“That’s a stupid habit,” Five decides. “Get up front—I’m your brother, not your chauffeur.”

“Okay, this is getting kind of weird,” Ben admits as Klaus climbs over the console to get into the front seat.

“You’re just now realizing that?” Klaus says under his breath, which causes Five to give him yet another strange look. 

The drive to Griddy’s is probably one of the most awkward drives Klaus has ever been on, with no one saying a word (save for Five cursing at everyone else on the road), and he’s never felt more relieved to walk into a doughnut shop where there are other human beings.

Five leads them to a booth located in the far corner of the shop, and a waitress hands them both menus. Five gives it right back, telling her he’ll have “the blackest cup of coffee you have”, and after Klaus scans his own menu for waffles and finds nothing of the sort, Klaus requests chocolate milk.

Because really, no one is ever too old for chocolate milk. 

The waitress raises her eyebrows at the strange requests, surely expecting the orders to be the other way around, but she says nothing and walks away. 

Five sits rigidly, his hands clasped together on the table, looking around the shop as if he’s searching for any signs of trouble. 

“You think Diego would make us waffles when we get home?” Klaus wonders aloud, mostly to Ben. 

“You could just ask Mom,” Ben points out from where he’s sitting next to Klaus. Klaus is squished up against the window, while Five is smack dab in the center of his own seat. 

“Yeah but Diego’s waffles are better.”

“He uses the exact same recipes that Mom uses—she taught him everything he knows, dumbass.”

“Something Diego does makes them taste better, I dunno why,” Klaus waves his arms around, knowing their argument was moot at this point. 

They fall into silence for a moment before the waitress brings their drinks.

“Leave the pot here, if you will,” Five motions towards the pot of coffee that she’s holding, and despite the taken aback expression she has on her face, she sets the pot down and walks away.

Five pours the liquid all the way to the edge of the cup before taking a drink, visibly relaxing as he does. Klaus sticks a straw into his glass of chocolate milk and takes a long sip. 

“Klaus, you should talk to him,” Ben says suddenly, and Klaus looks up from his drink to see that Five keeps glancing at him with that same strange look on his face. 

“So um, not that I don’t love spending time with _mi hermano,_ but is there a reason you invited me here?” Klaus fiddles with his straw in between his fingers.

Five fidgets.

“Is it wrong to want some company?” Five counters with another question. Deflecting, as he always does. 

“No, of course not…” Klaus trails off, not sure if he should start to poke the bear. “I’ve just never seen you ask someone to come with you, so I just figured something was up.”

Five doesn’t say anything for a moment, simply taking a sip of his coffee and staring at the wall behind Klaus. 

“You know, I spent a lot of time as the last man on Earth,” Five says quietly over his mug. “The silence was… unimaginable.”

Klaus grimaces, looking down at his own drink. He can’t even imagine how lonely that must have been for Five, and even though the ghosts often make Klaus pray for silence, he’s not sure if he’d enjoy it if he got it. And really, Klaus hasn’t been alone since he was thirteen years old—he’s always had Ben by his side, his brother following him everywhere without fail. 

“Loneliness does horrible things to the mind,” Five continues, setting his mug back on the table, but he doesn’t release his grip from the handle. “I’m not sure I would’ve stayed sane without Delores.”

Right, Delores—Five’s mannequin girlfriend. (Wife? Lover? God knows.) Klaus had thought that… relationship had been a touch concerning, but who is he to judge people on strange relationships? Klaus’ closest friend is a ghost, unviewable by anyone other than himself. 

Then, it hits Klaus exactly what’s going on. Five is feeling lonely without his girlfriend, and this is his way of asking for human connections. Suddenly, Klaus feels like a complete asshole for questioning his brother like that. 

“Hey man, I’m sorry for grilling you like that—I can’t even imagine how hard that must have been for you,” Klaus apologizes, but there’s still a frown on Ben’s face. Has Ben not connected the dots yet? Surely he would’ve figured it out before Klaus did. “But hey, anytime you want to talk or hang out, I’m all ears. Same with the others, I’m sure.”

Five’s eyebrows furrow together as he looks back at Klaus. 

“You’re not alone anymore, Five,” Klaus goes on, his tone as earnest and welcoming as possible. “We’re here for you, buddy.”

“Klaus, are you deaf?” Five says, annoyance laced in his tone. 

“Uh, what—?”

“I just told you that I had Delores,” Five cuts him off, and Klaus is nothing short of confused at this point. 

_What the hell is going on?_

“I’m not talking about me, Klaus… I—damnit, I’m talking about you.”

Not even Ben can do anything but stare.

“About… me?” Klaus raises both eyebrows, wondering if Five’s sanity is as intact as he says it is. “Dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Five looks down at the table, taking a moment to think before sighing. 

“I know I’ve only been back for a couple of weeks, but I’ve noticed shit, okay? I know the signs of loneliness all too well, and the fact that you’re constantly talking to yourself is a huge red flag.”

Oh. 

Well, there it is.

Klaus shares a look with Ben, who looks just as surprised as he feels. 

“I know that you’ve spent a lot of time alone, whether it was inside the mausoleum, or on the streets, and I know first hand what that does to a person,” Five is refusing to meet Klaus’ eyes, obviously uncomfortable with the emotions that he’s having to show. “So forgive me for trying to help ease that loneliness by inviting you to get a cup of coffee with me.”

“Holy shit,” Ben whispers, as if he’s afraid Five will hear him. 

“Five…” Klaus breathes, not really sure what to say, because there’s a huge misunderstanding here. Part of him thinks to just go along with Five’s assessment of him, figuring it’s better than his brother thinking that he’s a lying attention whore, but… he can’t do that to Five. Five has dealt with real loneliness, something Klaus has never had the opportunity to experience, and probably never will. “That’s, um, really thoughtful of you, and of course I’m grateful that you invited me here. But… I don’t think I’m as lonely as you think I am.”

Five frowns confusedly, finally raising his eyes to look at Klaus. 

“I’m a medium, remember?”

The realization slowly creeps across Five’s features. 

“I talk to ghosts—it’s kind of my thing,” Klaus tries to keep his voice as gentle as possible, to prevent Five from shutting him out entirely. “I mean, I get why you would maybe forget—with my drug abuse, my powers are basically nonexistent. But yeah, I have a couple of ghost buddies. One of them likes Nick Cage movies, can you believe that?!”

“Oh,” Five nods after a moment, his face clearly heating up. “That—yeah that would make sense. Yeah.”

“Yeah,” Klaus echoes with a grin. 

“I just—because I asked the others about why you’re always… talking to yourself, and none of them really knew why, so I… drew my own conclusions,” Five continues to explain, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “I don’t know why none of us remembered that you can talk to ghosts.”

“Well, I can hardly blame them,” Klaus shrugs, leaning back against the booth seat. “I’ve told a lot of lies in my life—I’m not the easiest person to trust or believe.” 

“Have you ever lied about your powers?” Five asks, his face suddenly unreadable. 

Klaus frowns at the question, wracking his brain for one lie he’s ever told about the ghosts that have haunted him his entire life.

“That’s a good point,” Ben pipes up quietly. 

“It’s hard for people, even our family, to be able to believe anything that they can’t see,” Klaus murmurs, twiddling with his straw before taking a sip of chocolate milk. 

“I believe you,” Five says plainly, pouring himself another cup of coffee. 

“Maybe you’re just special, then,” Klaus snorts.

A moment of silence passes through them. 

“So, uh, what ghost were you talking to earlier?” Five asks, gesturing towards the empty space next to Klaus. “The one you were arguing with about Diego’s waffles.”

Klaus doesn’t want to tell him. He doesn’t want to say Ben’s name, simply because he’s sure that the moment he does, Five will stop believing him, will start to think of him how all of the others think of him—as a liar. But he doesn’t miss Ben’s longing gaze as his dead brother stares at Five, and Klaus knows that he has to take that chance, for Ben. 

It’s the least he can do, really. 

“It’s someone who loves us all enough to stick around,” Klaus tells Five, and he watches as the realization clicks on Five’s face.

“It’s… Ben?” Five’s voice is almost a whisper as he stares at the space where Ben is sitting. Klaus and Ben’s eyes both go wide at that. 

“Yeah, it’s Ben,” Klaus breathes. 

“He’s… he’s been here the whole time?”

“Yeah, he’s the one who likes Nick Cage movies,” Klaus gives half a smile, but it falters, still not sure if it’s safe for him to explain everything without Five blowing up at him like all of the others always do. “I… I would have told you, but… the others always get, like, super angry when I tell them that he’s here because they think I’m making it up for attention.”

Five’s eyes keep flicking between Klaus and the space where Ben is. 

“But I would never use him like that,” Klaus whispers, looking down at the table, his glass empty by now. “Anything else? Yeah, fair game. But never Ben.”

“Hey, Klaus?” Ben says from where he’s staring at Five. “Can you tell him I say hi?”

“Oh, yeah, of course. Five, Ben says hi.”

“Hi, Ben,” Five says, a slight smile on his face. It’s such a rare sight, that smile. Klaus decides it’s one of his favorite things in the world. “I, uh… I’ve missed you. A lot. You’re the only member of this family besides Vanya who actually has a brain.”

Klaus protests at that, but he doesn’t really take offense. 

“I’m sorry the others don’t believe you, Klaus,” Five’s frown is more prominent than ever. 

“Thank _you,_ Five,” Klaus says, “For actually believing me. That doesn’t happen often, so you don’t know how much it means to me.”

Five is quiet as he sets a bill down on the table, getting ready to leave. 

“Ben isn’t the only one in your corner now, Klaus,” Five says earnestly, and Klaus might actually cry at his words because—wow. 

But he doesn’t cry, because as much as he’d like to, he’s still a Hargreeves, and Hargreeves usually swallow their emotions because that’s all they’ve ever known. 

“Hey, Ben and I, we’re gonna go see a movie today,” Klaus says instead, fishing into his pocket and holding up a twenty dollar bill. “Diego’s treat. Wanna join us?”

“Yeah, I’d love to,” Five nods after a moment. “Hey, I think the theater down the street is playing a movie that Nick Cage is in. Wanna go see that?”

Klaus groans in response, because seriously, that sounds horrible, but Ben is bouncing up and down in his chair excitedly and Klaus doesn’t have the heart to tell them no.

“I think that’s a terrible selection, but I’ll sit through it,” Klaus says, and Ben cheers in response. “Five, do you even know who Nick Cage is?”

“I know that Ben likes him,” Five shrugs, a loose smile on his face, and Klaus swears that, if he squints, he’s able to see a glimpse of the brother they’d had before they’d lost him to time for forty five years. 

“Fair enough, I guess.”

And Klaus knows that the movie they’re going to go see will probably be bad, and he also knows that there’s a big possibility that he’s going to sleep through most of it. 

But at least he knows he’s not the only one in his corner.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry if you're a huge Nicolas Cage fan.
> 
> Let me know what you think? I know we all love comments so leave one pls and thank you :)


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